


Day in the Life

by grimorie



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 3, Community: purimgifts, F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-06
Updated: 2015-03-06
Packaged: 2018-03-16 13:20:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3489743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimorie/pseuds/grimorie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>"Hey, Harold, I think you better tell your Machine to give Root a day off."</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day in the Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lea_hazel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lea_hazel/gifts).



> Occurs between _Honor Among Thieves_ and _Point of Origin_
> 
> Thanks to dealanexmachina and hagar for beta and hand holding. 
> 
> All mistakes are mine.

In the end, they saved the Number's life. Root has the thumb drive filled with relevant data she and Harold needed for one of their 'need to know' side projects.

And over all, if she was still required to file an After Action Report Shaw would call the mission a success.

There was a car chase, gun fights, and a chance to crack skulls. It was a good day.

Root conveniently disappeared for the last part but Shaw found the Number, Daniel Cruz, and Root just around a corner after the fight.

Shaw smirked at the sight of Cruz hanging on to Root as he cowered and Root looked like she was nearing the end of her threshold. Root was good at playing at being a people person without really liking people altogether. And just when it seemed like Root's good humor was about to shift into the brand of humor that involved physical injury, or severe psychological trauma Shaw marched forward and grabbed Cruz by the scruff of his shirt, forcing him away from Root and out the building.

Everything ended when Harold found leverage on Cruz's boss. Dude thought Cruz knew more about the illegal operations of his tech company and according to Harold, the startup was on the brink of a billion dollar valuation. 

People got killed for less. Still, Shaw wasn't fond of the way his boss attempted to systematically destroy Cruz's life. Cruz might be a nerd but he was a brilliant nerd who really seemed to be into all the hipster stuff about social work.

So she might have applied more force necessary to a punch only meant to catch him off guard.

Cruz was teary eyed with appreciation and because Shaw was watching his body language for any sign of injury or physical distress she was able to side step a hug meant for her.

Unfortunately for John, that didn't deter Cruz from shifting course and hugging him.

Then Cruz looked at Root, and Root smiled at him brightly but Shaw knew the look of condescending amusement on Root, so she wasn't really surprised when Root staved off a hug by reaching out and patting him on the cheek like he was a particularly troublesome dog.

"You're sweet," Root told him in a tone, that if they were in the South would read closer to an insultingly genteel: " _bless your cotton picking heart"_.

Cruz left their company with a befuddled expression. Shaw suspected this was probably the most exciting thing that's ever going to happen in his life.

"I have to go, Lionel can't hold off Captain Moreno for long."

Shaw smirked, "How much detention would you get if she knew how many kneecaps you shot today?"

John only sighed at her as he trudged back to the station. Shaw wasn't moved, he got to legally carry a gun and bust up people. So he had to follow a few rules and do paper work, at least he didn't have to stand all day on a pair of heels and make nice to people, or work with a crew of amateurs who might get her killed one day.

Baby.

"You like people."

Shaw dropped her smirk to look at Root in disbelief. "I what?"

"You like people," Root repeated in a wondering tone.

Shaw stared at Root then tapped her earpiece, "Hey, Harold, I think you better tell your Machine to give Root a day off."

" _Did anything happen to Miss Groves?_ " Harold asked.

"Yeah, I think she hit her head somewhere, she's talking funny. Might have a concussion."

" _Miss Groves, are you--_ "

"Shaw's just being funny Harold," Root piped up with a reproachful look at her.

"Root just told me _I_ liked people."

"Perhaps Miss Shaw is right, Root, perhaps you should rest--"

Root rolled her eyes. "I don't need to rest, Harold."

"It's the concussion talking."

"I don't have a concussion." The more annoyed Root got, the more amused Shaw was.

"Who has a medical degree here, you or me?"

"I meant," Root said, applying a little glare, "you like people more than _I_ like people."

"You're reaching." 

Now Root was smiling at her with that smile that never failed to make Shaw grit her teeth. "You spend more time around people than I do."

"That's because your all seeing other half put me in a job where I have to be around people." 

Seriously, who thought that was a good idea? An AI apparently. Maybe Harold needs to fix some bugs in his Machine.

"You were in the Marines." 

"Yeah," Her voice was heavy with sarcasm. "Because that's a reason why I joined the Marines, to hang out with people."

"You're a lot more tolerant about people than I am." 

Shaw stared at Root as if she's grown another head. 

There was silence in the line and then, " _In that context, that certainly does seem true._ "

Shaw rolled her eyes. Fine. Whatever, if only to get off this topic. "You like the Machine more than you like people. It's not hard to like people more than you do."

"That's not necessarily true." She closed the distance between them. "I like _you_."

" _Excuse me,_ " Harold sounded hurried, " _Detective Fusco needs my attention._ "

The line went dead.

Root started smiling down at her with that particular goopy smile. "It's just us now, Sameen."

"And all the other people walking around us," Shaw pointed out. 

Her goopy smile turned salacious, "Wanna play doctor?" 

"Oh, brother," Shaw said, and turned on her heel.


End file.
